DNR's Automated License Issuance System, known as ALIS, peaked at 201 deer gun licenses sold per minute at 5:30 p.m. on the Friday before gun deer season. An additional 11,196 hunters bought licenses during the 9-day season, bringing the gun deer license total sold to date to 642,419, slightly above 2007 totals. When archery licenses are added in, more than 846,000 backtags have accompanied hunters in the woods and fields so far this year to hunt deer. Additional licenses will likely be sold during late bow, muzzle loader, December Antlerless and "holiday" hunts that are still to come.

Of Wisconsin's deer gun hunters:

* 94 percent were residents
* Hunters throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries purchased a Wisconsin gun deer license. The highest number of nonresident hunters came from Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and Florida), each having increased in participation over last year.
* Youth hunters aged 12-17 represent 11 percent of the total number of deer hunters, and 8.1 percent of the total hunters are female.
* The most deer licenses were sold in Dane County, with Brown, Washington, Marathon and Waukesha counties following.
* All ages participate in the hunt. More than 53,000 hunters are age 65 or older. Nearly 24 percent are between the ages of 12 and 25. The ages most represented were 47 and 48.

During the week prior to the opener, DNR's Customer Service Call Center was receiving 1,200 to 1,400 calls per day, peaking at more than 2,000 on the Friday before the opener; 818 hunters called in on opening day. The call center handles nearly 230,000 a year, with 30 percent received on nights and weekends. Call center staff are available to serve hunters and other customers from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m., seven days a week by calling 1-888-WDNR INFo (1-888-936-7463) or online. Spanish and Hmong service is available. Hunters wishing to report a violation can call 24 hours a day and seven days a week at 1(800)TIP-WDNR [800-847-9367] or cell #367.